Market Update 2Accommodation News 4Air Travel News 6International 8Travel Tips 15Travel Talk 16Who’s Moved 18Rendezvous 19Events 20

Middle East and North Africa Edition

MAY 1 , 2010 ISSUE 25 www.traveltradeweekly.travel

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LEGAL BATTLEIraqi Airways’ first service to London in20 years was met will a UK High Courtorder, freezing the company’s globalassets in response to an unpaid debt ofUSD1.2 billion to Kuwait Airlines.

After several delays, the first Armani hotelopened in Dubai on April 27, inside therecently opened Burj Khalifa. ArmaniHotels and Resorts has announced afurther 10 resorts within the next 10 years.

In This Issue

BalloonTRAGEDY 3

ARMANI OPENS

Balloon Adventures Emirates has suspended flightsduring an investigation by the UAE General Civil

Aviation Authority, after one of its hot air balloonscrashed in Al Ain, killing two passengers. Managingdirector Peter Kollar talks to Travel Trade Weekly

about the ongoing impacts of the crash.

6

H otel investment in theregion fell to belowUSD2.9 billion in 2009,reflecting a 63 percentdecrease compared to 2008

figures and the lowest level of investment in theregion since 1990.According to the report, a boost to investmentin 2010 could be driven by improving economicconditions, bolstered investor confidence andgreater availability of stock on the market.The report speculated that investment in 2010could reach as high as USD4.1 billion. Jones Lang LaSalle noted that a preferenceamong regional lenders for collaboration over

foreclosure had minimised thenumber of distress sales amonghotels in the Middle East.Jones Lang LaSalle reported thatin contrast to the UK, wherebanks were seeking to offloaddistressed assets, MENA bankswould not be the main sellers of

hospitality stock.Indeed, the ongoing behaviour of bankers ofwas flagged as pivotal to the region’s recovery,with investment expected to be driven by thoseinstitutions.The report also revealed a preference forinvesting in Europe or the US among manyMENA investors, leaving much of theinvestment within the region to externalinterests.Further, although rates and revenue in theMENA region remained relatively high in 2009,many investors were deterred by the decline inthe tradable value of stocks.Saudi Arabia was picked as a high potentialmarket for hotel investment, being the mostmature hotel market in MENA, according toJones Lang LaSalle.Jones Lang LaSalle suggested that Investment inthe kingdom could be encouraged by theamenability of the country’s old hotels to valueimproving initiatives such as rebranding,resizing or repositioning.

Jones Lang LaSalle Predicts MENAHotel Investment Boom in 2010Jones Lang LaSalle’s quarterly review of hotel investment in the MENA region haspredicted investment volumes could increase by up to 40 percent in 2010.

MAY 1, 20102

COUNTRY CURRENCY 1USD=UAE (AED) Dirham 3.67Egypt (EGP) Pound 5.54Saudi Arabia (SAR) Riyal 3.75Lebanon (LBP) Pound 1501Bahrain (BHD) Dinar 0.37Jordan ( JOD) Dinar 0.70Syria (SYP) Pound 46.75Kuwait (KWD) Dinar 0.28Qatar (QAR) Riyal 3.64Oman (OMR) Rial 0.38Tunisia (TND) Dinar 1.43Morocco (MAD) Dirham 8.44Iran (IRR) Riyal 9903Yemen (YER) Rial 206.65Algeria (DZD) Dinar 73.76Libya (LID) Dinar 1.27

MENA Exchange RatesAccurate as of 28/4/2010Currencies shown in red are fixed against the US Dollar

TRAVEL TRADE WEEKLYDeputy EditorLaura Warne

JournalistLouis Dillon Savage

Design & LayoutElina Pericleous

Sales & MarketingJane DavidsonMarianna TsiamasDanielle Bragg Tina Georgiou

DirectorsAndreas ConstantinidesMary Kammitsi

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SCTDA Chair Flags Greater Public-Private Sector Co-operation in Arabian GulfSheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qassimi, chairman of Sharjah Commerce andTourism Development Authority, has flagged increased emphasis on tourismdevelopment by Gulf governments.He said he expected large increases in spending on tourism by Arab states,predicting an increase from the USD6.8 trillion spent in 2008 to USD13.3trillion by 2018.Qasimi noted that the world travel market was undergoing a challenging periodand said increased co-operation between public and private enterprises wouldbe necessary to enhance the promotion of Arabian destinations.He said that such initiatives would allow Middle Eastern countries to improvetheir position in an increasingly competitive market.“The great challenges faced by the tourism sector due to the global economiccrisis calls for coordinated efforts and the utilisation of all capabilities to reachour targets,” he said.

3MAY 1, 2010

Balloon Adventures Suspends All Flights, Despite Strong DemandOn April 25, a hot air balloon operated by Balloon Adventures Emirates crashed near Suwahan in Al Ain,injuring one and killing two.

Peter Kollar, managingdirector of the company,said despite media coverageof the accident and anongoing investigation by

the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority(GCAA), consumer demand for flightsremained high.Kollar told Travel Trade Weekly he feltdevastated, empty and very sad in thewake of the accident.He said that despite the tragedy, he had

continued to receive regular calls fromcustomers seeking to book future flights,but was turning them away while theGCAA investigation continued.“We do not expect a long term impact on

business, but we do expect very seriousshort term impacts,” he said.“And we expect the authorities to take theinvestigation extremely seriously.”He said his company’s strong reputationwithin the industry had sustained faith inits services, despite the accident.“We have five years of untroubledoperation behind us,” he said.“Last year we flew more than 6,000passengers.”According to Kollar, the accident was a

result of an unexpected high wind, whichdragged the balloon across a sand dune asit attempted to land.Fatalities included oneFrench and oneIndian national.

All flights by Balloon AdventuresEmirates have been suspended pendingthe findings of the GCAA probe.

Balloon Adventures Emiratesballoon in flight

MAY 1, 20104

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Jumeirah Names New Lifestyle Hotel BrandDubai based hospitality company Jumeirah Group will launch a new contemporary lifestyle hotel brand,VENU Hotels, later this year.

ADTA Claims Increased Arrivals Despite Shrinking OccupancySTR Global figures have shown consistently negativeperformance for Abu Dhabi in key hospitality measuresacross the first quarter of 2010.Nevertheless, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) hasclaimed a large increase in the number of guests staying inthe emirate.According to STR Global, occupancy levels in the emiratesank by 27.1 percent in January, 31.2 percent in February and24.2 percent in March.STR figures also showed large contractions of revenue peravailable room (revPAR) and average daily rate (ADR) for AbuDhabi, with revPAR in the emirate dropping by 40.5 percentin January, 58.7 percent in February and 45.2 percent in March.Mubarak Al Muhairi, director general of ADTA, said theshrinkages could be explained by a knock on effect from largeincreases in the emirate’s hotel room inventory.Muhairi said Abu Dhabi was targeting a net 10 percent increasein arrivals by the end of the year, and said the first quarterfigures showed that the emirate was on track for that goal.“Results have to be judged in light of Abu Dhabi’s growingaccommodation inventory, which has gone to 17,600 roomsin the first quarter of this year, from just under 13,000 thistime last year,” he explained.

The announcement ofVENU Hotels coincidedwith reports of highoccupancy figures forJumeirah’s Dubai

properties between February and April.Dubai beachfront properties, includingJumeirah Beach Hotel and MadinatJumeirah, registered occupancy of 92.5percent in April, with an average of 89percent in February and March. Jumeirah Emirates Towers reported 75percent occupancy during February andMarch.

Jumeirah currently operates 11 hotels, buthas 32 management agreements in placefor properties across the world.At least 10 new hotels are expected toopen in the next 18 months, includingproperties in Frankfurt, Kuwait,Maldives, Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai andShanghai.The group growth strategy calls for 60hotels to be signed up by 2012. Locations for the new VENU Hotelsbrand are currently being confirmed;Jumeirah is negotiating withdevelopers interested in the Middle

East, North Africa, Eastern Europeand Asia Pacific. Gerald Lawless, executive chairman ofJumeirah Group, said the group’s highoccupancy rates had cemented plans tolaunch the new brand.“VENU Hotels will, when launched, fulfila clear market need and one that is highlycomplementary to the Jumeirah Hotelsand Resorts brand,” said Lawless.“We are looking forward to a busy andexciting period opening new hotels,attracting new guests and introducing anew hotel brand concept to the world.”

5MAY 1, 2010

ACCOMMODATION NEWS

Armani to Open 10 Hotels in 10 YearsArmani Hotels and Resorts plans to open at least 10 resorts within the next 10 years, the company has revealed.

Coinciding with the opening of the brand’s firsthotel, Armani Hotel and Resorts has releaseddetails of a number of upcoming properties.Armani’s second hotel will open in Milan, Italynext year and will be followed by a regular

schedule of further openings.These include the first Armani resort, underway in Marrakech;as well as plans for hotels in London, New York and Tokyo.The first Armani hotel opened in Dubai on April 27, inside therecently opened Burj Khalifa.According to Emaar Properties, the developer of the hotel,Giorgio Armani oversaw every aspect of the hotel’s design,dedicating five years to the project.The hotel occupies a total of 11 floors within the Burj Khalifa,including the concourse level through to the eighth floor, as well

as levels 38 and 39.Armani Hotel Dubai also incorporates the first Armani spa anda range of Armani branded retail options.

(L-R) Designer Giorgio Armani withMohammed Alabbar, CEO of Emaar Properties

Up + Coming PropertiesAccor’s luxury Sofitel brand has raised its sixth flagover Morocco.The property, dubbed Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses (garden ofroses), is located in downtown Rabat, the capital of Morocco.Sofitel Rabat Jardin des Roses has been operating under asoft opening for several months, but was officially launchedon April 15.The hotel is Sofitel’s first golf resort in the country andincorporates the Royal Golf Dar Es Salam course.Five food and beverage outlets have been integrated into thehotel, including outlets for both Moroccan and French cuisine.Of the 229 rooms offered by the hotel, 37 are suites.

Ramada Jumeirah has been scheduled for launch in the finalquarter of 2010, according to Ramada Worldwide.The property is owned by Mohamed and Obaid Almulla LLC,and will be managed by the company’s hospitality subsidiary,Abjar Hotels International LLC, under a franchise agreementwith Ramada.Ramada Jumeirah will be a 252 room four star property, locatednear Jumeirah beach, Dubai, at the intersection of Al Mina andAl Dhiyafa roads.According to Abjar Hotels, construction on the property isnearly complete and the interior design of the hotel hasentered its final stage, with both business and leisuretravellers considered as end users.

I raqi Airways (IAC) launched itsfirst service to London in 20years on April 24, flying to theUK capital from Baghdad viaSweden.

However, lawyers for Kuwait Airways(KAC) preempted any potentialcelebration plans, obtaining an order fromthe UK High Court to freeze IAC’s globalassets.The freezing order was a response to IAC’srepeated refusal to pay USD1.2 billion incompensation to KAC for aircraft andspare parts stolen during the 1990invasion of Kuwait and subsequentlyintegrated into IAC’s fleet.Chris Gooding, of law firm FaskenMartineau, has spent 20 yearsrepresenting KAC in its legal action

against IAC. He said the case, which has become thelongest running commercial dispute inBritish legal history, had been severelyhampered by continued perjury andforgery by IAC.Legal efforts were renewed in 2008, afterIAC announced that it was investing infleet upgrades estimated at more thanUSD5 billion, despite claiming it did nothave the funds available to pay theUSD1.2 billion debt to KAC. Fasken Martineau, acting on behalf ofKAC, has since launched an action inCanada to prevent the delivery of the newfleet to IAC.However, Gooding said the dispute inCanada centred on the question ofwhether the aircraft had been bought by

the Iraqi state on behalf of Iraqi Airways,or by the Iraqi state independently.The recent Baghdad to London flight wasoperated by Swedish charter group TorAir, thwarting KAC’s plans to seize theaircraft as payment towards the debt.Despite this technicality, Goodinginsisted that he would continue to pursuethe airline in any new market that itattempted to fly into.

“Iraqi Airways has to face up to itsresponsibility – this case is not going todrift away,” said Gooding.“It was unrealistic of IAC to think that itcould start flights to a jurisdiction whereit owes USD1.2 billion withoutconsequences.”Despite efforts to contact Iraqi Airways,the airline was unavailable to comment.

MAY 1, 20106

AIR TRAVEL NEWSIraqi Airways’ London Return Dampened by Asset Freeze

Safi Airways Flags Expansion and RebrandAfghanistan’s Safi Airways will boost its current routenetwork with new flights to Beijing and New Delhi thissummer. The introduction of services to Moscow is also on the cards,with an expected launch date of 2011. Safi Airways saw growth of 400 percent in ticket sales during2009, compared with 2008; the launch of its Kabul toFrankfurt service in June 2009 marked the first nonstopscheduled flight linking Afghanistan and Europe for more than30 years. The airline’s primary hub destinations are Frankfurt, Germanyand Dubai, UAE. Safi currently has interline agreements with Lufthansa,Emirates, Qatar Airways and United Airlines, and has recentlysigned new agreements with Delta Air Lines, Air China andHainan Airlines. Claus Fischer, chief commercial officer at Safi, said furthergrowth was expected from the new destinations.“Our expansion over the past 18 months has been veryencouraging and we are aiming to almost double the numberof destinations we serve over the next 12 months,” saidFischer.Safi is expected to release detailed expansion plans andrebranding at Arabian Travel Market.

P eter Hill, CEO of OmanAir, said the new flightswould expand oncurrent UAE services toDubai, Abu Dhabi and

Ras Al Khaimah.“With this addition to the Oman Airnetwork, we are sure many new marketswill open up,” he said.Oman Air has also appointed general salesagents (GSAs) in three of its otherupcoming destinations: Malaysia, Tanzaniaand Nepal.The carrier will begin flights to KualaLumpur, Malaysia, in May and will follow

this launch with flights to Dar Es Salam inTanzania and Kathmandu in Nepal fromJune 1 and June 17 respectively.In Malaysia, Oman Air has appointed themultinational corporation ABDAAviation Sdn Bhd as its GSA. In Tanzania, The Rickshaw Travel Group(RTG) will represent Oman Air.Amravati Travels has been appointed asGSA for Nepal.Commenting on the appointment,Abdulrazaq Alraisi, general manager ofworldwide sales for Oman Air, said theGSAs were expected to bring in a range ofnew business.

“We are sure that both inbound tourismand outbound tourism between Omanand these countries will prosper greatly,”said Alraisi.

MAY 1, 20108

AIR TRAVEL NEWS

Makkah to Receive First International AirportThe holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia, will soon beaccessible by air for the first time.An international airport – infrastructure previously missingfrom the city – has been approved by the Shura Council ofSaudi Arabia, according to the Saudi Ministry of Hajj.The airport will be constructed outside the Muslim-onlyhamra zone that surrounds the city, allowing for the transitof both Muslims and non Muslims through the facility.Current arrangements require thousands of annual pilgrimsto Makkah to fly to Jeddah international airport and drive theremaining 70km.

Oman Air Adds Al AinFlights, Appoints GSAsOman Air will launch services between Muscat and Al Ain on May 3, offering daily flights to itsfourth UAE destination.

Peter Hill

Makkah

M aktoumemphasised thatthe emirate hadlaunched no bidfor the 2020

Games, and said an attempt would only bemade if the small state was confident ofsuccess.However, he affirmed that studies into thefeasibility of a bid were being carried out.He said that irrespective of the findings ofthe feasibility studies, the review processwould prove beneficial to the sportingtourism sector of Dubai.“It will help us identify the strengths andweaknesses of our transportation systems,our tourism facilities, our sports venuesand other vital infrastructure,” he said.“This learning process will benefit Dubaieven if we never bid for the OlympicGames.”Maktoum said Dubai needed to face up

to its weaknesses as well as its strengths,noting that the extreme summer heat ofthe emirate would present a challenge forany potential bid.“There is a strong ‘can do' culture here, but

we also have to be realistic,” he saidAccording to Maktoum, Dubai has provensuccessful in hosting other large scalesporting events, and was emerging as aglobally recognised centre forinternational sporting competitions.However, he recognised that the emiratehad no experience with events as large theOlympic Games.

9MAY 1, 2010

Dubai Takes Cautious Stance on Olympic FutureDubai may never bid for the Olympic Games, Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, ruler of theemirate has said.

Sheikh Mohammed BinRashid Al Maktoum

Dubai

MAY 1, 201010

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Marriott Introduces Courtyard Brand to VietnamCourtyard by Marriott Ham Tan, scheduled to open in 2012, will mark the first Courtyard by Marriottproperty in Vietnam.

UNWTO Forecast Shows Positive GrowthWorld Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) figures havesuggested that tourism recovery in 2010 will not be stronglyaffected by the recent disruption of air traffic caused byvolcanic ash in Europe.International tourism arrivals are expected to grow by threeto four percent this year, with UNWTO estimating that a lossof no more than half of one percent of yearly arrivals toEurope had been caused by the flight ban of April 15 to 20.According to Taleb Rifai, secretary general of UNWTO, emergingdestinations are leading recovery in the tourism sector in 2010.“The economic recovery is being driven mainly by emergingeconomies while growth is still sluggish in most advancedones,” he said.Rifai also noted that continued and increasing unemploymentin major source markets was also cause for concern.Nevertheless, UNWTO’s quarterly report recorded that allworld regions experienced positive growth in terms ofinternational tourist arrivals in the first quarter of 2010, withgrowth led by the Asia Pacific region and Africa.However, the report advised that optimism should remaincautious.“Though there is a clear improvement on the negative resultsof 2009, this growth must be considered with caution as itcompares with a particularly weak period of 2009 − the worstmonths of the global economic crisis,” it stated.

M arriott has signeda managementagreement withCY-Ham TanResort Limited

Company for the 200 room property. Ed Fuller, managing director ofinternational lodging for MarriottInternational, said the introduction of theCourtyard brand signalled continuedexpansion in Vietnam.“With the opening of this hotel, we’ll beable to offer travellers in Vietnam a choiceof four hotel brands from luxury to mid-

priced,” said Fuller. “The World Travel and Tourism Council(WTTC) forecasts that Vietnam tourismover the next 10 years will grow to morethan seven million visitors annually, twicewhat it was in 2007, and we arepositioning ourselves to be able to offerthese visitors a hotel stay no matter whattheir travel budget dictates.”Courtyard by Marriott Ham Tan will caterto leisure and incentive guests, with arange of standard guest rooms as well assemi-detached bungalows. In Vietnam, Marriott currently manages

Renaissance Riverside Saigon Hotel andNew World Hotel in Ho Chi Min City. The company has three other propertiesin the planning and construction phase:JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi, opening in2013; Nha Trang Marriott Hotel,opening in 2013; and JW MarriottDanang Resort, opening in 2014.

Courtyard byMarriott Ham Tan

11MAY 1, 2010

Qatar Unveils Stadiums for 2022 FIFA World Cup BidQatar has unveiled plans for a range of sporting stadiums, tourist facilities and training sites that it willdevelop, pending the success of its bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

I nnovative new carbon-neutraltechnology will be used to coolthe stadiums and other facilities,which Qatar 2022 authoritiessaid would make the 2022

World Cup the world’s first ever cooledoutdoor global sporting event. Designs for three new stadiums wereunveiled on April 28: Al Shamal stadiumin the north of Qatar, with capacity for45,120 guests; Al Khor, a 45,330 capacitystadium in the north east of Qatar; andthe 45,000 capacity Al Wakrah stadium inthe south of Qatar, which also includes athemed swimming pool, spa zone, sportsfacilities and a shopping mall.

Two existing stadiums, Al Rayyan and AlGharafa, will also be expanded if Qatar’sbid is successful.Hassan Abdulla Al Thawadi, CEO of Qatar2022, said the facilities would be linked to anew metro system and integrated with acomprehensive shuttle bus network. “We have also designed our new stadiawith legacy front of mind and, with theirmodular design, can be reduced in sizeafter the World Cup to fit local footballand community requirements and, insome cases, transported abroad forpermanent use,” he said.“Qatar aims to bring the World Cup to theMiddle East for the first time in the

history of the tournament.”FIFA’s executive committee will vote on thelocations of the 2018 and 2022 World CupFinals on December 2, 2010.

Al Gharafa

Gianni Onorato, presidentof Costa Cruises, saidDubai Department ofTourism and CommerceMarketing had assisted

with the implementation of Costa’s businessdevelopment policy in the Gulf. “Following the huge success of theinauguration, on February 23 this year inDubai, of the Costa Deliziosa, the firstcruise ship ever to be inaugurated in anArab country, our objective is to invest inDubai, the Arabian Gulf and the MiddleEast, not only as a regular destination forour ships, but also as a sourcing area so asto increase the number of cruisers choosing

us for their vacations,” said Onorato.“Our target comprises both localcustomers and the numerous expatriateswho live and work in these countries.”To cater to this growing market, Costa hasimplemented a range of new features: thetwo Costa ships based in Dubai willfeature prayer rooms, Arabic food anddrinks, Arabic radio and televisionchannels, and Arabic language facilities. The upcoming representative office inDubai will be Costa’s 17th branch officeworldwide. Costa will be represented inthe UAE by Al Ketby Consultancy andalso plans to distribute brochures to travelagents throughout the region.

MAY 1, 201012

Costa Cruises Launches Dubai Office Italian travel group Costa Cruises plans to target Arab and expat customers with a dedicated office in Dubaiand a range of made-to-measure cruising options.

Wild Nights at Al Ain Wildlife Park & Resort

(L-R) Gianni Onorato, president of Costa Crusies,with Hamad bin Mejren, DTCM executive directorof business tourism

Al Ain Wildlife Park and Resort (AWPR) has launched itssummer programme, Wild Nights. From May 1 to September30, the park will open from 4pm to 12 midnight Saturdaysthrough Thursdays and 10am to 12 midnight on Fridays.Park operations will be adjusted to suit the new nightprogramme, with feeding times moved to the twilight hoursfor the crocodiles, penguins, Arabian and African exhibits.The cat house, featuring lions, tigers, pumas, jaguars andcougars, will be lit for the first time and special effects willtransform AWPR’s dinosaur trail. Dr Fred Launay, CEO of AWPR, said he expected AWPR to be apopular summer evening destination.In 2009, the park received more than 100,000 visitorsbetween June and mid September. “AWPR is one of the most visited tourist destinations in the UAEand we are always looking at new and unique ways to ensure anenjoyable experience for all visitors to the park,” said Launay.

Recently introduced black-backed jackals at AWPR

Amadeus will mark its ninth year atATM in 2010, according to AntoineMedawar, vice president for theMiddle East and North Africa.“One of our key products on displaywill be the Amadeus SMS solution forthe travel agents, an exclusive web-based tool that allows travel agents toupdate their customers with their latesttravel itinerary via SMS,” said Medawar.Travelport will preview several productenhancements at ATM, including a newversion of the web-based e-ticket

tracking tool Galileo e-tracker and thecompany’s new professional networkingtook, Travelport Opinions.Rabih Saab, vice president for theMiddle East, said Travelport wouldalso operate live demonstrations anda dedicated GDS training sessionduring Travel Agents Day on May 6.For the Saudi Arabian market, Dubai-based Global InnovationsInternational FZ LLC is set to launcha new range of automation solutionscatering to Umrah and Hajj operators.

MAY 1, 201014

ATM Preview – Who’s Doing What at The Biggest Event of the YearArabian Travel Market (ATM) 2010 will take place in Dubai between May 4 and 7, highlighting the bigissues for the travel and tourism industry in the current global economic climate, as well as examining futuretrends and recovery efforts. More than 50 new-to-market exhibitors will debut at this year’s show. Here,Travel Trade Weekly takes a look at some key announcements by exhibitors at ATM 2010.

Hotel NewsMiddle Eastern hotel company Rotana will focus on thecontinued diversification of its brand portfolio, including:upcoming properties under its Centro brand, includingCentro Barsha and Sharjah Airport; the recently openedRose Rayhaan by Rotana, the tallest hotel in the world; andthe alcohol-free brand Rayhaan Hotels and Resorts byRotana.Southern Sun has signed an agreement with EmaarProperties to manage future four star hotels by Emaar and isalso expanding its operations in Abu Dhabi, Saudi Arabia andAfrica.Anantara Resorts and Spa will be promoting severalupcoming and expanded developments in the Middle Eastand globally, including Anantara Al Madina A’Zarqa inOman; Desert Islands Resort and Spa; Anantara KihavahVillas in Maldives; and Anantara Sanya in China.

Up in the AirAfghanistan’s Safi Airways will announcerebranding and further expansion plans atATM, following the announcement of severalnew flight routes.Emirates Group will be celebrating a range ofnetwork and fleet expansions, as well as promotingSouth African packages in its role as an official touroperator of the 2010 FIFA World Cup.Wataniya Airways, from Kuwait, will beannouncing the inaugural flight details for itsfirst three European destinations, Istanbul,Vienna and Rome, as well as its third Egyptiandestination, Alexandria.

Tech Trends

NewcomersFiji Tourism will make its Middle Eastern debut at ATM 2010;the country is hoping to capitalise on the region’s outboundtourism in its quest to meet a target of 1.1 million visitors peryear by 2014. According to Fiji Tourism, increasing airlinks to Australasia byEmirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways have put Fiji in a strongposition to target the Middle East.

15MAY 1, 2010

Disaster Planning: Tourism Recovery Examples From Around the World

ATM’s New Frontiers Awards is a scheme designed to recognise destinations that make an outstanding contribution to tourismdevelopment in the face of staggering adversity. The Philippines, Italy and Australia were named as finalists – here, we look athow these countries bounced back from various disasters. Their examples can provide good best practice tips for tourismauthorities around the world.

Natural disasters can cripple a country’s tourism industry, and while it is impossible to be 100 percentprepared, it pays to consider the possibilities before it’s too late.

The PhilippinesIn the wake of a devastating typhoonSeptember 2009, the NationalEconomic and DevelopmentAuthority put in place a USD145million project to rehabilitatedamaged infrastructure. At the same time, the Department ofTourism implemented a campaignto bring tourists back to the country,endorsing 28 new tourism projectsworth USD821 million, withemployment capacity of 15,567.

AustraliaIn February 2009, Australia was hit bymore than 400 wildfires, as well aswidespread flooding. Despite this,Tourism Australia’s efforts led to thecountry ermerging as one of the betterperforming international tourismdestinations of 2009.Tourism Australia launched country-specific marketing campaigns to its keysource markets around the world andworked directly with the tourism industryto deliver government stimulus packages.

ItalyAn earthquake in April 2009 caused USD2.5billion worth of damage in Italy, flatteningcities that had previously been major tourismdrawcards.Italian tourism bodies implemented marketingefforts to focus on the country’s core strengths,such as Milan’s fashion industry, Italy’s historicmonuments and the country’s cuisine.The Italian Government also made the boldmove of shifting the G8 summit to L’Aquila, thehardest hit area, to relieve fears about its safetyand highlight the country’s natural beauty.

MAY 1, 201016

Fatima Al-Huraibi

Executive Director, Yemen Tourism Promotion Board“Unfortunately, it is a sad reflection onworld tourism today that very fewcountries can offer total peace of mindwhen it comes to safety and securitymatters. We are working tirelesslywith other government departmentsto ensure discreet but optimal levelsof security for our own citizens as wellas business and leisure tourists. We aredetermined not to let the actions of afew wreck our aspirations to build astrong tourism industry and I have asimple message, which is that Yemenis an extraordinary country, onewhich deserves to be mroe widelyrecognised as an outstanding andunique destination and is well wortha visit.”

Very few countries can offer total peace

of mind

Debrah DhuggaGeneral Manager, Dukes Hotel London (owned by Dubai-based Seven Tides)“We have always appealed to guests from the GCC, whether business or leisure, butwe believe that our new rooms will particularly impress ladies from the Middle Eastlooking for discretion and privacy. We are already seeing an increase in guests from theMiddle East, with a four percent increase so far this year, mainly from businesstravellers. We expect the largest part of the business from this region to be during thesummer months.”

Ghaith Al GhaithCEO, flydubai“Adding Latakia to our existing routesof Damascus and Aleppo,demonstrates the importance of Syriaas a key destination to flydubai.Thanks to flydubai, Dubai’s growingSyrian expatriate population and the500,000-strong community in Latakianow have even better access to quality,safe and low-cost air travel.”

Adding Latakiademonstrates the

importance of Syriaas a key destination

We are seeing an increase in guests from the Middle East

Ghaith Al Ghaith

Dukes Hotel

MAY 1, 2010 17

Emirates Golf ClubKicks Off SummerRenovation PlansEmirates Golf Club (EGC) hasbegun improvements that include aclubhouse refurbishment, courseimprovements and the introduction of aboutique events venue, the Royal Majlis.All renovations will be completedduring the summer months, which aretypically quiet for the club, and theupgrade is expected to be completedby October, 2010.Andrew Whitelaw, club manager at EGC,said all clubhouse operations had movedto the tournament hospitality facilitiesused for the Omega Dubai DesertClassic, overlooking the Majlis’ ninth andeighteenth greens.“The temporary clubhouse facilitycomprises a spike bar, pro shop, meetingand function rooms, locker rooms,gymnasium, aerobic studio and physiotreatment rooms,” said Whitelaw.“Everything a golfer or guests wouldrequire is catered for during therenovation period.”The Majlis course at EGC will be closedbetween June 1 and September 30 toallow for improvements that will includethe repositioning of several bunkers, aswell as the introduction of new tees andadditional bunkers. Whitelaw said the closure dates had beencarefully selected, with member play atits lowest between June and September.

UAE’s Fast Rent A Car Expands Fleet Fast Rent A Car will increase its fleet by13 percent in 2010, adding 900 units tomeet rising demand. The increase will bring the company’stotal fleet to 8,000 units.Fast Rent A Car focuses primarily onbusiness travellers to the UAE and eventpatrons, with corporate clients makingup 80 percent of the company’sbusiness. The group also targeted several recentcorporate and government projects inAbu Dhabi, which helped stimulate

strong growth in 2009.Ahmed Abood Al Boasy, CEO of FastRent A Car, said the company’s revenuewas up 8.5 percent across the UAE in2009, with a 25 percent increase inrevenue in Abu Dhabi.“Our achievements in 2009 have allowedus to invest in 2010, to be able to build abigger, better and stronger company,” saidAl Boasy.The company currently offers more than45 vehicle models, including cars, SUVs,prestige vehicles, buses and trucks.

Emirates Golf Club new clubhouse design

MAY 1, 201018

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Jeffrey Xu Jeffrey Xu has been appointed as exhibition manager for China IncentiveBusiness Travel and Meetings Exhibition (CIBTM). Xu replacesGreame Barnett, who has moved into the role of exhibition director forEIBTM in Barcelona. Xu previously worked as deputy general managerfor Super Events in China; his clients included the 2008 Beijing OlympicGames, 2009 East Asian Games and 2010 Asian Games. He has alsoworked as deputy general manager of Seven Network Ltd, an Australiancommercial broadcaster.

Etihad AirwaysEtihad Airways has made two seniorappointments. Geert Boven, currently theexecutive vice president of customer servicesand airport operations has been appointedmanaging director and member of the board ofAmadeus Gulf. Amadeus Gulf is a joint ventureglobal distribution company owned by EtihadAirways and Amadeus International.Chris Youlten has been appointed as the newvice president of airport and networkoperations for Etihad. Youlten will lead thenewly combined airports and operations unit.He has more than 25 years of experience ininternational aviation, having worked inEurope, the US, Australia and Hong Kong. Hejoined Etihad in May 2008 as head ofoperations planning, before being appointedvice president of network operations.

Nihad KattanNihad Kattan has been appointedcountry general manager to Jordanfor Marriott International andgeneral manager of the AmmanMarriott Hotel. Kattan has movedfrom his previous role as area vicepresident. He has worked forMarriott for more than 26 years invarious roles across the US, Mexico,Venezuela and Saudi Arabia.

Nihad Kattan

Tareq BagaeenGrand Hyatt Doha has appointed Tareq Bagaeenas director of marketing. Bagaeen has more thaneight years of experience in the hospitalityindustry, most recently working as director of salesfor several Ritz-Carlton properties in the Gulf,Singapore and Ireland. His responsibilities atGrand Hyatt Doha will include overall strategicsales, marketing, revenue management, e-commerce, public relations, promotions andbrand image. He will also represent the propertyat international tourism and trade exhibitions.

Tareq Bageen

Philipe PellaudRezidor Hotel Group has appointedPhilipe Pellaud as general manager ofRadisson Blu Hotel, Kuwait. Pellaudpreviously held the role of generalmanager at the same hotel in 1992,before moving to the UAE to take upthe position of general manager of theRadisson SAS Hotel, Jumeirah Beachin Dubai. He has also managed otherRezidor properties in Dresden, Prague,Cannes, Istanbul, Sofia, Stockholm,Wroclaw, Krakow, Ankara and Vienna.Most recently, he worked as generalmanager of Radisson Blu Resort andSpa in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Pellaud is agraduate of École Hoteliere inLausanne and also attended CornellUniversity in New York. Philipe Pellaud

19MAY 1, 2010

Travel Trade Weekly: I understandyou have been operating in Bahrainfor a long time; can you tell us a littleabout how the local industry changedin that time?Paul Clabburn: In 1990, there wereonly about 45 travel agents operating inthe country; by 1995 that had risen toover 100, but the size of the marketcertainly had not doubled, so it began toget tougher to see a good return oninvestment. Until around 2003 business had its upsand downs and then from 2003 until2008, incomes were increasingly positive. Then the global economic crash occurredand in the local market we are only juststarting to see the recovery. Also during my time in Bahrain we havewitnessed the region becoming [an IATA]BSP environment, the rise of the regionallow cost carriers, the growth of onlinetrading, the end of airlines payingcommission together with SARS and birdflu... so it has not always been a smoothride for the industry!

Travel Trade Weekly: Are there anychallenges particular to operating inBahrain?Paul Clabburn: That’s not so difficult toanswer…it is simply one of supply,distribution and demand, or to put thismore clearly, the demand is not sufficientlygreat as to warrant the number of outletssupplying it. We also suffer from over-capacity of available airline seats for most ofthe year. This forces yields down and thatmeans the only winner is the consumer.

Travel Trade Weekly: Could pleaseshare some of your insight into thetravel habits of Bahrainis?Paul Clabburn: Bahrainis love to travel

and I believe many do so as often as they can. Iran is a perennial favourite due to themany strong links between the twocountries, as is travel to those areas whereArab nationals are truly welcomed. Asia has certainly witnessed stronggrowth over recent years due to numerousfactors but also in no small way due to thevalue for money which many countriesthere are able to offer. Bahrainis, like many nationalities, arediscerning travellers and look to get thebest value they can for their hard earnedDinars.

Travel Trade Weekly: Who is cominginto Bahrain? Has this changed?Paul Clabburn: This certainly haschanged. With the exception of theweekend tourist, where the business hasalways been very healthy, growth ininbound tourism from within the regioncontinues to rise.Tourists from Europe and Asia, who usedto arrive by air, have now found cruiseships a better way to visit not just Bahrainbut many GCC countries. The only down side of this type of tourismfor the countries and the suppliers ofground services, hoteliers and DMCs is thatthe tourist is only in each destination for aday or two at most and therefore only getsa snapshot of what the country has to offer. And of course with the new Bahraingovernment initiatives in the sportingarena, such as F1 and yachting, we arestarting to see international visitorsarriving for specific reasons.

Travel Trade Weekly: Do people tendto visit the rest of the archipelago, ordo they mostly stay around Manama?Paul Clabburn: Certainly tourists visitand travel all over the country; our placesof interest are spread throughout theislands. Then of course, that is easy as we are notsuch a large country. But the hotels are still mostly centred inthe Manama area, although that ischanging and more leisure styledproperties are being opened up furtherafield, as Bahrain looks to decentralise itsactivity and community focus.

Travel Trade Weekly: Is thereanything coming up in Bahrain thatyou feel will help tourism in thecountry? Paul Clabburn: I see a concerted driveand desire to elevate the country’sinternational image and exposure. All thisspells good news for those of us in theservice industry as more people will beencouraged to visit Bahrain.

Q&A with Paul Clabburn Paul Clabburn has been working as a travel agent in Bahrain for 21 years and is now general manager of BahrainInternational Travel Group. He gave Travel Trade Weekly the run-down on the changes he has witnessed.

It has not always been a smooth ride

for the industry!

Paul Clabburn

MAY 1, 201020

EventsArabian Travel MarketDubai, UAE, May 4-7 (www.arabiantravelmarket.com)Travel and tourism event for inbound and outbound tourismprofessionals, featuring destinations, accommodation, tourismattractions and airlines.

HOTEC Middle EastMuscat, Oman, May 7-10 (www.mcleaneventsinternational.com/events/HotecMiddleEast2010)Business to business meetings forum for hotel owners,developers and operators to meet with suppliers.

China Hotel Investment ConferenceShanghai, China, May 12- 14 (www.chinahotelconference.com)Conference focusing on hotel investment in China.

Food and Hotel ArabiaJeddah, Saudi Arabia, May 16-18Meeting of professionals from the Saudi food and hospitalityindustries.

Oman Travel MarketMuscat, Oman, May 17-19 (www.oite.com/otm/2010)Exhibition for the promotion of Oman to as an internationaldestination.

Travel World ExpoKuwait City, Kuwait, May 19-20Exhibition for domestic, regional and international tourismenterprises.

The Hotel ShowDubai, UAE, May 18-20 (www.thehotelshow.com)Exhibition for hoteliers and suppliers to the hotel industry.

IMEXFrankfurt, Germany, May 25-7 (www.imex-frankfurt.com)Major international exhibition for the meetings and eventsindustry.

Global Travel and Tourism SummitBeijing, China, May 25- 27 (www.globaltraveltourism.com)High level gathering of travel industry chairs and CEOs.

South American Hotel and Tourism Investment ConferenceWith emerging markets at the front ofmind for many tourism professionals, the2010 South American Hotel and TourismInvestment Conference (SAHIC) hasbeen announced for September 27 to 28in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia. ArturoGarcía Rosa, president of SAHIC saidthat early registrations for the conferencehad proven the strong interest thatSAHIC anticipated from the market. “This new SAHIC edition will be afurther opportunity for interactionbetween the region’s major players andthose interested in investing in a businessthat continues to demonstrate that South

America is a great option,” he said.Nubia Stella Martínez Rueda, vicepresident of tourism for SAHIC’s hostpatron Proexport, said Colombia was oneof Latin America’s premier venues forconference hosting.“Furthermore, it is an excellent occasionfor many of the world’s leadingbusinessmen to believe in Colombia andto realise that it is a good place to invest,by changing their perspective andgenerating more business opportunities,”said Reuda.The event will feature a range of generaland break-out sessions, with a space for

interaction and discussion of upcomingprojects. A series of awards will also be presentedto people and organisations that havecontributed to the development of thehotel and tourism industry in the region.

2009 SouthAmerican Hotel andTourism InvestmentConference